1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data processing apparatus and a data processing system, and more particularly to a data processing apparatus and a data processing system that can transfer data that was obtained by executing processing via a network.
2. Description of the Related Art
Data processing apparatuses (devices) already exist that provide a service that transfers data (scan data) obtained by scanning an original document to a computer (hereafter, referred to as “PC”). Through this service, it is possible for a user to utilize a physical original document as an electronic document on the user's own PC.
In order to utilize this service, after the user connects his own PC to the network, the user must perform an operation that transfers the scanned data from the device providing the service to his own PC. At this time, the user must specify the user's own PC as the transfer destination. As a method for the user to specify his own PC, for example, a method can be considered in which the user searches for his own PC from the device. However, when a large number of other PCs are connected to the same network, for example, identifying one's own PC from a list which includes a large number of PCs that are on the network is troublesome. There is also the possibility of transferring the data to a different PC by mistake.
A method is also known in which unique information of a PC such as an IP address or authentication information is input into a device (for example, see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-244694). However, in this case, it is necessary for the user to know the IP address of the user's own PC. Further, an IP address is typically assigned dynamically when a PC connects to a network, and in some cases the assigned IP address is different from that assigned at the time of a previous connection. It is therefore necessary for the user to always confirm the current IP address. There is also the possibility that data will be erroneously sent to another PC due to a mistake when inputting the IP address.
Thus, when transferring scan data from a device to a PC that temporarily connects to a network, there are the problems that    (1) an operation to input the IP address of a PC as the destination for the scan data takes time and effort, and    (2) data may be erroneously transferred to a different PC.
For example, let us assume a case in which a malicious third person connects his own PC on a network and makes a setting to permit connection to his PC no matter what user name or password is used when an authentication request is made in order to transfer data from the device to that PC. In this case, there is the possibility that if a bona fide user enters the address of the PC of the malicious third person by mistake, the scan results will be transferred to the PC of the malicious third person. There is also the possibility that at this time, authentication information that enables connection to the PC of the bona fide user will be made known to the malicious third person.